Adjustable furniture hinge

ABSTRACT

A hinge member has an elongated hinge arm pivoted to it. Remote from the hinge member the hinge arm is mounted for pivotal displacement about a pivot axis. An arrangement is provided for shifting the hinge arm along the pivot axis to a plurality of adjusting positions. Another arrangement is operable independently of the first mentioned one and serves to adjustably pivot the hinge arm about the pivot axis, and a third arrangement is operable independently to first mentioned ones and serves to adjustably displace the hinge arm lengthwise of itself.

United States Patent Sewing et al.

June 24, 1975 1 ADJUSTABLE FURNITURE HINGE [75] Inventors: GerhardSewing, Lohne; Jurgen Bachor, Kirchlengern, both of Germany [73]Assignee: Paul Hettisch & C0., Kirchlengern,

Germany [22] Filed: Aug. 16, 1974 [21] Appl. No.: 498,226

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 21, 1973 Germany 2342113[52] US. Cl. 16/129 [51] Int. Cl. E05D 7/04 [58] Field of Search 16/129,130, 131, 132, 16/133 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS2,545,378 3/1951 Peck 16/130 X 2,839,778 6/1958 Hutchinson ct al.....3,251,088 5/1966 Boundy 16/130 X 3,325,942 6/1967 Bejarano 16/132 X3,332,104 7/1967 Leach 3,772,735 11/1973 Lautenschlaeger 16/129 FOREIGNPATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 753,798 3/1967 Canada 16/131 1,105,081 3/1968United Kingdom 16/130 Primary Examiner-Alfred R. Guest Attorney, Agent,or Firm-Michael S. Striker [57] ABSTRACT 10 Claims, 11 Drawing FiguresADJUSTABLE FURNITURE HINGE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The presentinvention relates generally to a hinge, and in particular to anadjustable furniture hinge.

It is known to provide furniture hinges having a hous ing which isrecessed in a door or similar member of a piece of furniture, forinstance a cabinet. The housing is connected in a hinged manner with ahinge arm which in turn is secured by a mounting member on the body ofthe piece of furniture with reference to which the door is to be hingedmovable. The mounting member is connected independently of the hinge armto the furniture body, and the hinge arm is connected to the mountingmember by means of a screw. In order to be able to provide an adjustmentof the hinge arm with reference to the mounting member, a set screw maybe provided, but the adjustment that is possible in this manner isstrictly limited and quite difficult to accomplish.

Other types of adjustments for the hinge arm are also known from theprior art but in every instance at least one set screw must be loosenedand, when the adjustment has been carried out, must be tightened again.This repeated loosening and tightening influences the positioning of thehinge arm in such a way that a precise positioning-as opposed to arelatively coarse adjustment--is not possible with the prior-artarrangements. Yet, this is a very important feature, especially onwell-made furniture.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the presentinvention to overcome the drawbacks of the prior art. More particularly,it is an object of the invention to provide an adjustable furniturehinge which is not possessed of the aforementioned disadvantages.

Still more specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide anadjustable furniture hinge which makes it possible to provide for a fineadjustment of the hinge arm of the furniture hinge as a plurality ofdifferent directions, and to carry out such adjustment in any onedirection or dimension without thereby influencing the adjustment orpositioning of the hinge arm in any other direction or dimension.

In keeping with these objects, and with others which will becomeapparent hereafter, one feature of the invention resides in anadjustable furniture hinge which, briefly stated, comprises a hingemember and an elongated hinge arm pivoted thereto for movement about apivot axis. First means mounts the hinge arm remote from the hingemember for movement about another axis extending transverse to theelongation of the hinge arm. Second means is provided for adjustablyshifting the hinge arm longitudinally of the other axis, and third meansis operable independently of the second means for adjustably shiftingthe hinge arm lengthwise of itself.

In addition, still another means may be provided for so adjusting thehinge arm that it is pivoted to a selectable degree about theaforementioned other axis. In such a case, the invention thus providesan adjustable furniture hinge where in the hinge arm can be adjusted inthree dimensions, and in which the adjustment in each of thesedirections can be carried out independently of any adjustments orpositioning in the other dimensions, that is without influencing thepositioning of the hinge are with respect to the other two dimensions.This permits a very precise positioning of the hinge arm and, hence, ofthe door with which it cooperates on a piece of furniture.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following de scription of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective viewillustrating an adjustable furniture hinge according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 shows the hinge of FIG. 1 on an enlarged scale, and with apartially sectioned hinge arm;

FIG. 3 is a section on line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section on line IVIV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a section on line V--V of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a section on line Vl-VI of FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating a further embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 8 is an enlarged-scale view of the embodiment in FIG. 7, with thehinge arm partially in section;

FIG. 9 is a section on line IXIX of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a section on line XX of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 11 is a section on line XIXI of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Discussing the drawing indetail and referring firstly to the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-6,it will be seen that the novel furniture hinge has a housing 1 which isto be recessed in a corresponding depression in a door on a piece offurniture. A hinge arm 2, 2a is provided which is to be connected to thebody of the piece of furniture, and connecting members 3, 4 pivotablyconnect the hinge arm 2, 2a with the housing 1. This basic descriptionis, incidentally, also applicable with respect to the embodimentillustrated in FIGS. 7-11.

In the embodiment of FIGS. l6, there is provided a profiled mountingmember 5 which is to be connected with the furniture body by means ofscrews or, as illustrated, by means of anchoring pins 6 which may be ofone piece with the profiled mounting member 5. The latter is formed witha groove 7 which in the illustrated embodiment is of U-shaped crosssection and in which a correspondingly configurated base portion of ashiftable member 8 is received. The latter is slidable in the groove 7and can be fixed in any desired position relative to the member 5 bymeans of a set screw 9. When the latter is tightened, the lower free endof the set screw 9 engages the bottom face bounding the groove 7 andsets up a tension between the members 5 and 8 to prevent undesiredshifting of the latter with reference to the former.

It is evident that when the screw 9 loosened, the arm 2 can be shiftedlengthwise of itself relative to the mounting member 5, since the arm 2is connected to the shiftable member 8 by means of a pin 10 which issecured in the lateral side walls 11 of the U-shaped arm 2 and which ismounted in the shiftable member 8 so as to be slidable in the directionof the pivot axis 12. The displacement of the arm 2 with reference tothe member 5 in longitudinal direction of the arm 2 can be carried outcontinuously, that is the arm 2 can be shifted to any desired extent.

It is advantageous if the free end of the screw 9 is formed with anannular edge 13 which, when the screw 9 is tightened, tends to dig intothe bottom wall bounding the groove 7. In addition to, or in lieu of theedge 13, the bottom wall bounding the groove 7 may also be provided withsawtooth-like projections 14, as illus trated with respect to the member5a in the embodi ment of FIG. 8.

A set screw 15 is provided which permits an adjustable displacement ofthe hinge arm 2, 2a in direction transversely towards elongation. Theset screw 15 passes through a tapped bore in the shiftable member 8 andits free ends abut against the side walls 11 of the hinge arm. It is ofcourse necessary to be able to turn the screw 15 from the exterior ofthe hinge arm, and to make this possible slots 16 are formed in the sidewalls 11 of the hinge arm. The end faces of the screw 15 abut againstthe inner edges of these slots 16 and are provided with recesses intowhich a screw driver may be inserted so that the screw 15 can be turnedfrom either side of the hinge arm 2, 2a. When the screw is so turned,the hinge arm 2 shifts transversely towards elongation in one or theother direction, depending upon the direction in which the screw 15 isturned, thereby causing the pin to slide in the bore in which it isreceived in the shiftable member 8.

To permit an adjustment of the hinge arm 2, 2a in still a thirddimension, namely to permit a tiltable adjustment about the axis 12, aset screw 17 is provided which passes through a threaded sleeve 18 ofthe hinge arm 2 and is provided at its lower free end with a plate 19which is received in a recess 20 of the member 8. To make it possiblefor the arm 2, 2a together with the set screw 17 to be shiftedtransversely to the elongation of the arm and relative to the member 8,the shaft of the set screw 17 extends through an elongated slot 21 inthe member 8. The plate 19 must have sufficient play in the recessformed for it in the member 8, that is in the recess 20, so that thistransverse displacement can be carried out.

It is evident that the means for adjusting the hinge arm 2, 2a in thethree dimensions in which such adjustment is possible, are each operablyentirely independently of the others, so that one adjustment carried outby operation of one of these means does not in any influence the prioradjustment of the arm with respect to the other two dimensions.

In the embodiments of FIGS. 1-6, a tilting displacement of the hinge arm2 about the axis 12 in the direction of the housing 1 is effected bymeans of the screw 17 which is located opposite the screw that effectsthe transverse displacement. The embodiment of FIGS. 7-11 is somewhatdifferent, as will be described. In particular, the embodiment of FIGS.7-11 corresponds to the one in FIGS. 1-6 except in the particulardifferences which will be described hereafter. In FIGS. 7-11, the setscrew 17a is located between the set screw 15a and the set screw 9a. Themember 5a and the member 8a have different shapes as opposed to themembers 5 and 8 of FIGS. 1-6, but their purpose and operation is thesame as before. The cross section of the member 5a is of double T shape,and a portion of the member 5a engages in a groove 22 formed for thispurpose in the member 8a.

In all other respects, including in the adjustment of the positioning ofthe hinge arm by operation ofthe set screws 9a, and 170, the embodimentof FIGS. 7-11 corresponds to that of FIGS. l-6. In this secondembodiment, just as in the first one, each adjustment in one dimensioncan be carried out independently of any adjustments in the other twodimensions, so that a very precise positioning of the hinge arm can beeffected.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofconstructions differing from the type described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in anadjustable furniture hinge, it is not intended to be limited to thedetails shown since various modifications and structural changes may bemade without departing in any way from the spirit of the invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of of the generic or specific aspects of this invention.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is:

1. An adjustable furniture hinge, comprising a hinge member and anelongated hinge arm pivoted thereto for movement about a pivot axis;first means mounting said hinge arm remote from said hinge member formovement about another axis extending transverse to the elongation ofsaid hinge arm; second means for adjustingly shifting said hinge armlongitudinally of said other axis; and third means operableindependently of said second means for adjustingly shifting said hingearm lengthwise of itself.

2. A hinge as defined in claim 1, said third means comprising a mountingmember connectable with a piece of furniture, a shiftable member on saidmounting member and shiftable lengthwise of said hinge arm; and a screwfor arresting said shiftable member relative to said mounting member.

3. A hinge as defined in claim 2, said hinge arm having a hole intowhich said screw projects so that said screw, hinge arm and shiftablemember move in unison.

4. A hinge as defined in claim 2, said mounting member having a toothedcontact surface, and said screw having an end portion cooperating withsaid contact surface and formed with an annular contact edge.

5. A hinge as defined in claim 2, wherein said hinge arm is of U-shapedcross section and has side walls in which a pin is mounted; and whereinsaid shiftable member is formed with a passage in which said pin isslidably received.

6. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein said axes extend parallel toone another.

7. A hinge as defined in claim 2, and means for pivotably adjusting saidarm about said other axis, comprising a screw member having a shaftportion threaded through a hole in said hinge arm, and an end portionprovided with a plate which is received in a recess of said shiftablemember, said screw member extending normal to said other axis.

8. A hinge as defined in claim 2, wherein said second means comprises athreaded element extending through a tapped transverse bore in saidshiftable memcross section mating to that of said groove and slidablyreceived in the latter.

10. A hinge as defined in claim 2, said shiftable member having a grooveextending longitudinally of said hinge arm, and said mounting memberhaving a portion received in said groove.

1. An adjustable furniture hinge, comprising a hinge member and an elongated hinge arm pivoted thereto for movement about a pivot axis; first means mounting said hinge arm remote from said hinge member for movement about another axis extending transverse to the elongation of said hinge arm; second means for adjustingly shifting said hinge arm longitudinally of said other axis; and third means operable independently of said second means for adjustingly shifting said hinge arm lengthwise of itself.
 2. A hinge as defined in claim 1, said third means comprising a mounting member connectable with a piece of furniture, a shiftable member on said mounting member and shiftable lengthwise of said hinge arm; and a screw for arresting said shiftable member relative to said mounting member.
 3. A hinge as defined in claim 2, said hinge arm having a hole into which said screw projects so that said screw, hinge arm and shiftable member move in unison.
 4. A hinge as defined in claim 2, said mounting member having a toothed contact surface, and said screw having an end portion cooperating with said contact surface and formed with an annular contact edge.
 5. A hinge as defined in claim 2, wherein said hinge arm is of U-shaped cross section and has side walls in which a pin is mounted; and wherein said shiftable member is formed with a passage in which said pin is slidably received.
 6. A hinge as defined in claim 1, wherein said axes extend parallel to one another.
 7. A hinge as defined in claim 2, and means for pivotably adjusting said arm about said other axis, comprising a screw member having a shaft portion threaded through a hole in said hinge arm, and an end portion provided with a plate which is received in a recess of said shiftable member, said screw member extending normal to said other axis.
 8. A hinge as defined in claim 2, wherein said second means comprises a threaded element extending through a tapped transverse bore in said shiftable member, and having free end portions, said arm being of U-shaped cross section and having side walls located adjacent to and adapted to be abutted by the respective free end portions when said threaded element is turned.
 9. A hinge as defined in claim 2, said mounting member having a longitudinal groove, and said shiftable member having a longitudinally extending portion of a cross section mating to that of said groove and slidably received in the latter.
 10. A hinge as defined in claim 2, said shiftable member having a groove extending longitudinally of said hinge arm, and said mounting member having a portion received in said groove. 